Top Honors
Shelley Heatley Photography
CELL TOWER With her back legs kicked high in the air, Jesse Bray’s sassy red bay mare, Cell Tower, makes her presence known on the polo field. Standing at 16.1 hands tall and possibly just as wide, Cell Tower’s powerful thoroughbred physique is not one of a traditional polo pony, but her quick movements surely are. Originally owned and trained by Matthew Gonzalez, Graham Bray put the finishing touches on the mare before handing the reins over to his son, Jesse. Standing at 6’3, Jesse also shirks typical polo player stereotypes, handling his strength and force on the field with the finesse of a true athlete. Cell Tower quickly ascended rank within Jesse’s playing string, opening almost every game of the 16 Goal Series with power and poise. The confidence Cell Tower imparts on Jesse is evident. “Cell Tower’s best attribute on the field is how small she moves. She’s a big, strong mare who moves like a cat. I have had her turn inside plays that I wouldn’t attempt with just any horse,” he admits. Cell Tower was named Best Playing Pony of the USPA Silver Cup in 2021 and her pilot Jesse, Most Valuable Player.
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